Monday, May 10, 2010

Just too much to consider...

Ok. We admit it.

We have been somewhat “AWOL” the past few weeks.

Here’s the deal.

We have been nearly paralyzed with a “Municipal Election Migraine.” Considering the individuals running for public office in Trenton and the seeming lack of a grasp on the situation here in the Capital City, it is no small wonder that we are not collectively comatose!

Look at the facts: 10 individuals on the ballot as candidates for mayor. And not one of them comes close to the “whole package.”

Council At-Large…same thing.

And, just to make things interesting, there are documented, press-covered write-in candidates for each of those jobs. (At least with the Council At Large a voter has three choices).

At the ward level (Trenton elects four “Ward” council members.) there are choices between anywhere from three to five candidates.

Is it any wonder that we are in an “overload” situation?

What we need/should want in our next batch of Elected Officials is a group that will optimize all that our residents have to say on the subject of our new council and mayor. We need elected officials that are in touch with their constituents and who are ready to do the best and most they can to move Trenton forward.

We need officials who are not elected by virtue of their ethnicity, affiliations, or money raised/spent on campaigns. We need representation from people who know how to get things done and will do the same regardless of what it might mean personally or politically down the road.

That said, any candidate who has held office in the past 8, 12 or 16 years; any candidate who has held a position in city hall or been appointed to a position by the current/outgoing mayor; or any person who has otherwise flaunted ties to the about to depart junta should automatically disqualify themselves from consideration.

Trenton does not need “more of the same.” Trenton needs to hear from people outside of the current ruling clique.